Books Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““A first-rate college library with a comfortable campus around it is a fine milieu for a writer. There is, of course, the problem of educating the young. I remember how once, between terms, not at Cornell, a student brought a transistor set with him into the reading room. He managed to state that one, he was playing “classical” music; that two, he was doing it “softly”; and that three, “there were not many readers around in summer.” I was there, a one-man multitude.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview with The Paris Review, 1962
A well‑stocked library and campus create an ideal setting for writers, but also pose challenges in teaching youth.
In simple terms: A good library helps writers, yet teaching youth is tricky.
Balance nurturing creativity with education.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- University life
- writing workshops
- student mentorship
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we use library resources to better engage students?
- What responsibilities do writers have to educate?
A library alone cannot replace active teaching.